Jim Nollman – Playing Music With Animals: The Interspecies Communication Of Jim Nollman With 300 Turkeys, 12 Wolves, 20 Orca Whales

Label: Folkways Records – FX 6118
Format:  Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Field Recording, Experimental

Interspecies communication through folk music?  One of the most bizarre entries into the legendary Folkways catalogue.

Jim Nollman, born in 1947, is an American composer, conceptual artist and environmental activist who has dedicated the majority of his working life exploring ways to communicate with animals through music and art.  On this intrepid set of recordings published in the early 1980s he jams with orcas with a waterphone, carves out atonal drones on the cello amidst the howling of wolves and sings traditional American folk songs whilst 300 turkeys gobble in the background.  The lilting rendition of Silent Night played on the bamboo flute is unquestionably all the more poignant with the lonely cries of the Wolf in the distance, but the real question is, which Jim is also smart enough to point out, would the animals be making the same sounds without the musical stimuli.  I guess that’s wide open to interpretation but what’s not to love about a generational eccentric doing their thing with such conviction.  Iconic.  (NM - top copy - with lovely booklet).

Tracklist
A1        Froggy-Went-A-Courting 300 Turkeys
A2        Vihuela And Wolf Pack No. One
A3        Cello And Wolf Pack No. One
A4        Vihuela-Cello And Pack
A5        Voices And Wolves
A6        Cello And Wolf Pack No. Two
A7        Vihuela And Wolf Pack No. Two
A8        Silent Night (Ahkuhachi And Wolf)
B1        Orca Pod Vocalizing
B2        The Lesson
B3        The Lesson Replayed
B4        Orcas And Waterphone
B5        Heavy Metal (Guitar/Orca)
B6        Orca Reggae
B7        Music To Eat Thanksgiving Dinner By 3 Flute Players And 300 Turkeys